Best Photo Editing Apps for iPhone

iPhones are known for their powerful cameras, but even the best shots can benefit from a little extra polish. Whether you’re a casual snapper, Instagram enthusiast, or aspiring content creator, having the right photo editing app can elevate your images to a whole new level. In this guide, we’ve rounded up the best photo editing apps for iPhone in 2025. These apps go beyond basic filters and cropping; they offer advanced editing tools, AI enhancements, one-tap fixes, and creative effects to turn your everyday photos into eye-catching visuals.

1. Snapseed

Snapseed, developed by Google, is a powerful and free photo editing app that combines professional-grade tools with an intuitive interface. It offers a wide range of editing tools, including Healing, Brush, HDR, Perspective, and Curves, with periodic updates to enhance functionality. One of its standout features is the “Selective” tool, which lets you apply adjustments to specific areas of your photo.

Snapseed supports both JPEG and RAW files, making it ideal for users who want to do serious photo editing on the go. With precise control sliders and non-destructive edits, it’s a must-have for hobbyists and professionals alike. You can even save your favorite edits as templates for batch processing.

Key Highlights:

• 29 editing tools including selective adjustments
• Supports RAW editing
• Clean, ad-free interface

Who it’s best for:

• Intermediate to advanced editors
• Users who want free, pro-level tools
• iPhone photographers who shoot in RAW

2. VSCO

VSCO is more than just a photo editor, it’s a creative platform built around aesthetic expression. The app is best known for its film-like filters that give your photos a timeless, cinematic feel. Beyond presets, it offers tools for exposure, contrast, skin tone, HSL, and more.

VSCO also doubles as a social community where users can share their edits and explore creative inspiration. The premium version unlocks over 200 filters, video editing, and advanced tools. It’s perfect for iPhone users who love editing as much as storytelling.

Key Highlights:

• Signature film-inspired presets
• HSL, skin tone, and border tools
• Creative social network included

Who it’s best for:

• Aesthetic-focused creators
• Instagram users and influencers
• Fans of vintage and film-style edits

3. Adobe Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom brings the power of desktop editing to your iPhone. It features advanced tools like exposure curves, color grading, geometry correction, and batch editing. The app also supports RAW and integrates with Adobe Creative Cloud for cross-device syncing.

Lightroom’s interface is clean and professional, with helpful tutorials and AI-powered suggestions. The app offers limited free features, with a premium subscription (~$4.99/month or $49.99/year) unlocking selective adjustments, healing, RAW editing, and cloud backup. It’s ideal for photographers who want pro-level editing on mobile.

Key Highlights:

• Desktop-grade tools on iPhone
• RAW support and sync with Adobe Creative Cloud
• Advanced AI-powered enhancements

Who it’s best for:

• Professional and semi-pro photographers
• Users already in the Adobe ecosystem
• iPhone users editing photos in RAW

4. Lensa AI

Lensa AI is a modern photo editing app powered by artificial intelligence. It’s best known for its smart portrait retouching, offering tools like background blur, skin smoothing, teeth whitening, and eye enhancement all with just a few taps.

The app can also generate AI avatars, remove objects, and enhance landscapes. Lensa is perfect for users who want fast, impressive edits without needing manual adjustments.Though it includes some free tools, most features require a subscription (~$7.99/month or $35.99/year).

Key Highlights:

• AI-powered portrait retouching
• One-tap background removal and effects
• Stylish AI avatar generation

Who it’s best for:

• Selfie and portrait enthusiasts
• Casual users who want quick enhancements
• Content creators looking for trendy edits

5. Afterlight

Afterlight combines easy-to-use editing tools with creative filters, textures, and frames. It offers everything from basic adjustments to advanced curves, blending modes, and dust overlays that add a nostalgic film feel to your photos.

The interface is friendly, and edits are applied in layers for flexibility. Afterlight is a great choice for users who want stylish, artistic control without feeling overwhelmed. The app includes in-app purchases and a subscription for full access to its library.

Key Highlights:

• Artistic filters and film textures
• Advanced adjustment tools with layering
• Easy to use with elegant design

Who it’s best for:

• Users who love retro or creative edits
• Instagram and creative content makers
• Casual photographers seeking unique effects

6. Darkroom

Darkroom is a premium photo and video editing app that offers a high level of control without overwhelming the user. With full support for RAW and ProRAW, batch editing, and curve adjustments, it’s a powerful tool for serious creators. It also integrates smoothly with your iPhone’s photo library, so you can start editing instantly.

Darkroom stands out for its intuitive design and real-time editing workflow. You can create your own filters, manage tone curves, and edit portraits with depth map support. It’s ideal for users who want speed and flexibility without sacrificing quality.

Key Highlights:

• ProRAW and RAW photo support
• Custom filter creation and curve controls
• Seamless integration with iOS photo library

Who it’s best for:

• Content creators and advanced users
• Users who want fast, professional editing
• iPhone photographers editing large batches

7. Prisma Photo Editor

Prisma brings an artistic twist to photo editing by transforming images into paintings using AI. Its unique neural network filters mimic the styles of famous artists like Picasso, Munch, and Van Gogh. With hundreds of creative effects, it turns ordinary photos into digital art.

While Prisma isn’t for every kind of edit, it’s fantastic for people who want bold, artistic transformations. You can fine-tune each style with intensity sliders and apply backgrounds and enhancements for added flair.

Key Highlights:

• AI-powered artistic filters
• Styles inspired by famous painters
• Easy one-tap application and customization

Who it’s best for:

• Art lovers and creatives
• Users seeking standout, stylized edits
• Social media enthusiasts

8. Bazaart

Bazaart is a creative editing and graphic design app that lets you blend photos, remove backgrounds, and add stunning overlays. It’s known for its precision cutout tool, making it easy to create collages, flyers, and story visuals on your iPhone.

With a huge library of stickers, text tools, and templates, Bazaart doubles as a lightweight design app. It’s perfect for those who want to go beyond traditional photo editing and into creative compositions.

Key Highlights:

• Powerful background remover
• Collage and layering tools
• Creative assets like stickers and templates

Who it’s best for:

• Instagram Story creators
• Designers and content marketers
• Users making collages or mixed-media visuals

9. Picsart AI Photo Editor

Picsart is a versatile app that blends photo editing, collage-making, drawing, and AI tools. It includes standard features like crop, retouch, and filters, but its real power lies in its massive creative suite text overlays, double exposure, stickers, and even AI-generated effects.

The app also features a built-in community where users can share creations and explore others’ designs. It’s ideal for iPhone users who want one app for editing, social interaction, and creativity.

Key Highlights:

• All-in-one editing, design, and collage tools
• AI-generated effects and filters
• Social feed with creative challenges

Who it’s best for:

• Creatives and visual storytellers
• Teens and casual users who love community-driven apps
• Those wanting advanced edits with playful features

10. TouchRetouch

TouchRetouch is a dedicated object removal app that works like magic. With just a tap, you can erase photobombers, power lines, skin blemishes, and unwanted background elements from your images. Its precision tools include lasso, brush, and clone stamp options.

The app’s simplicity and performance make it perfect for retouching without needing Photoshop. It’s a valuable addition for iPhone users who often take photos in unpredictable environments or want to clean up their shots professionally.

Key Highlights:

• One-tap object and blemish removal
• Precision tools like clone stamp and brush
• Fast, high-quality retouching

Who it’s best for:

• iPhone photographers shooting in public or busy settings
• Travel bloggers and portrait photographers
• Users who want quick cleanup without complexity

11. Prequel

Prequel is a trendy photo and video editing app focused on aesthetic filters and real-time effects. It features a wide variety of stylized looks, including vintage, VHS, retro, and film-inspired filters. You can also use beauty tools, animated effects, and overlays to enhance your selfies and stories.

With its bold, playful design, Prequel is ideal for social media content creators looking to stand out. It supports both image and short-form video editing, making it a versatile tool for TikTok and Instagram.

Key Highlights:

• Trendy filters and real-time effects
• Animated overlays and story templates
• Tools for both photo and video

Who it’s best for:

• Instagram and TikTok creators
• Users who want fast, trendy edits
• Fans of vintage and retro styles

12. Focos

Focos is a powerful depth-of-field editor for iPhones with dual or multiple lenses. It allows you to refocus photos after they’ve been taken, simulating DSLR-like bokeh effects. You can customize aperture shapes, depth intensity, and lighting direction with high precision.

Focos is perfect for portrait photographers who want more creative control over depth effects. Even if your iPhone doesn’t support portrait mode, the app can simulate it using AI.

Key Highlights:

• Refocus and adjust depth after shooting
• Advanced bokeh and aperture effects
• AI portrait mode for single-lens iPhones

Who it’s best for:

• iPhone users who love portrait photography
• Creators who want DSLR-style effects
• Beginners experimenting with depth and blur

13. Hypocam

Hypocam is a niche app for black and white photography lovers. It offers real-time monochrome shooting with live filters and deep control over contrast, grain, and texture. Every aspect is optimized for delivering rich black and white images, available for free with in-app purchases (~$4.99 for premium).

Beyond editing, Hypocam includes a curated news feed to inspire users with striking monochrome photography. It’s great for photographers who specialize in moody or timeless compositions.

Key Highlights:

• Real-time B&W camera and editing
• Grain, fade, and contrast controls
• Dedicated to monochrome photography

Who it’s best for:

• Fans of black and white photography
• Artistic photographers
• Minimalist visual storytellers

14. Polarr

Polarr is a feature-rich editor with strong AI tools and professional-grade enhancements. You can use it to create your own filters, retouch portraits, adjust lighting, and apply overlays. The app is highly customizable and supports batch processing as well.

It’s an excellent choice for advanced users and creatives who want control and automation. Plus, its sleek design keeps things organized even with dozens of features.

Key Highlights:

• Custom filter creation and overlays
• AI tools for portrait enhancement
• Supports batch editing

Who it’s best for:

• Advanced users and prosumers
• Creators managing high-volume edits
• Fans of customizable workflows

15. Pixlr

Pixlr is a lightweight, user-friendly app that’s packed with creative tools. It includes auto-fix, double exposure, overlays, and collage options all easy to use without needing advanced skills. It’s great for quick edits, casual enhancements, and playful compositions.

You’ll also find dozens of filters, borders, and text tools to personalize your photos for sharing. It’s a solid all-around editor that works well even on older iPhones.

Key Highlights:

• Easy-to-use with powerful quick tools
• Auto-fix, collage, and double exposure features
• Great for fast and fun edits

Who it’s best for:

• Beginners and casual users
• iPhone owners with older devices
• Fans of quick, creative edits

16. Canva

While best known for graphic design, Canva’s photo editor for iPhone is surprisingly robust. It allows you to edit photos with filters, brightness and contrast sliders, crop tools, and background removal. You can also add text, shapes, stickers, and frames perfect for social media graphics, thumbnails, or posters.

The app comes with thousands of templates that make creating polished content fast and easy. Whether you’re editing a headshot or designing an Instagram post, Canva provides everything in one streamlined platform.

Key Highlights:

• Built-in photo editor with design tools
• Templates for social media, flyers, and more
• Background remover and drag-and-drop elements

Who it’s best for:

• Marketers and small business owners
• Users making photo-based graphics
• Creators needing fast, polished results

17. Adobe Photoshop Express

Photoshop Express brings Adobe’s legendary editing capabilities to mobile with a simplified interface. You can apply quick fixes, adjust lighting and color, and use powerful tools like blemish removal, noise reduction, and perspective correction.

It also features filters, text overlays, collage makers, and watermarking. With support for RAW files and cloud sync, it’s a fantastic option for users who want high-end tools without the complexity of desktop Photoshop.

Key Highlights:

• One-tap filters plus pro tools like dehaze and noise removal
• RAW editing support and Adobe Creative Cloud sync
• Easy collage and watermark features

Who it’s best for:

• Adobe users who want mobility
• Creators needing fast pro-level tools
• iPhone users shooting RAW photos

18. Visage Lab

Visage Lab specializes in automatic portrait retouching. The app instantly removes blemishes, whitens teeth, smooths skin, and enhances eyes with just one tap. It’s especially useful for users who want perfect selfies without spending time on manual edits.

You can also apply makeup effects, blur backgrounds, and choose from dozens of stylish filters. Though limited in scope, Visage Lab excels at what it does fast, simple beauty editing.

Key Highlights:

• One-tap face retouching
• Automatic skin smoothing and eye enhancement
• Background blur and makeup effects

Who it’s best for:

• Selfie lovers and casual users
• Influencers and online daters
• Anyone who wants effortless portrait touch-ups

Conclusion

With so many feature-rich photo editing apps available for iPhone, you’re no longer limited to desktop software to achieve stunning results. Whether you’re retouching selfies, creating social media content, or doing detailed color grading, the apps in this list offer a variety of tools to match your editing style. Choose the one that fits your workflow and start transforming your photos with just a few taps.